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Food tours in Ella: what to eat and which tour to book
Ella is a small hill town in Sri Lanka's Uva Province, surrounded by tea estates and known for Little Adam's Peak, Ella Rock and the Nine Arch Bridge on the railway. Its food is Sri Lankan everyday cooking: rice and curry with several vegetable curries, dhal and coconut sambol at lunch, kottu roti chopped on a hot griddle at night, hoppers and string hoppers for breakfast or dinner, and endless cups of strong, milky tea from the estates around the town. The main street is lined with restaurants and cafés aimed at travellers; some of the best home cooking is at guesthouses and small family-run places, and several offer cooking classes.
Use this page to know what to order and where, with rough 2026 prices in rupees and euros (roughly Rs 330–360 to €1; rates move). The tours shown are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; confirm the price and meeting point on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Ella
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice and curry rice and curry (bath curry) | A plate of rice with several small curries: dhal, vegetables such as beetroot, pumpkin, jackfruit or beans, a meat or fish curry, papadam and pol sambol. The standard lunch. | Local restaurants and guesthouses; the best versions are often in family-run places. | roughly Rs 800–2,000 (€2.30–5.80) at local places; more on the tourist strip |
| Kottu roti kottu | Chopped flatbread stir-fried on a griddle with vegetables, egg and chicken or beef, chopped noisily with two metal blades. Mostly an evening dish. | Restaurants and small 'hotels' (local eateries) on Ella's main road. | roughly Rs 900–2,000 (€2.60–5.80) |
| Hoppers appa (hoppers) | Bowl-shaped pancakes of fermented rice flour and coconut milk with crisp edges, often with an egg cooked in the middle, eaten with sambol or curry. | Local eateries and guesthouses, usually at breakfast or in the evening. | roughly Rs 100–300 (€0.30–0.90) each |
| String hoppers idiyappam (string hoppers) | Steamed nests of thin rice-flour noodles, eaten with dhal, coconut sambol and a light curry, usually at breakfast. | Guesthouse breakfasts and local eateries. | roughly Rs 400–900 (€1.15–2.60) for a plate |
| Coconut sambol pol sambol | Fresh grated coconut pounded with chilli, onion, lime and salt; served with almost everything. | Every rice-and-curry plate and breakfast. | included with meals |
| Ceylon tea Ceylon tea / kiri thé (milk tea) | Black tea from the Uva hills around Ella, served plain or as sweet milk tea. Tea factories near the town show how it is processed and sell it by the packet. | Cafés and tea factories around Ella. | roughly Rs 150–600 (€0.45–1.75) a cup |
| Short eats short eats — rolls, patties, vadai | Small savoury snacks: fried crumbed rolls, curry-filled patties, lentil vadai and samosas, sold from bakeries and glass cabinets. | Bakeries and small shops on the main road and at bus and train stations. | roughly Rs 80–250 (€0.25–0.75) each |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Ella main road
The short main street through town is where most restaurants, cafés and bars are, from kottu shops to international cafés.
Tea estates and factories
Several tea factories and estates around Ella offer visits showing how leaf is withered, rolled and dried, with a tasting.
Guesthouse and home kitchens
Many guesthouses serve home-cooked rice and curry or hoppers to guests and run cooking classes, often the best Sri Lankan food in town.
Bandarawela market
The nearest larger town, a short drive or train ride away, with a produce market selling vegetables, fruit and spices grown in the hills.
Food tours in Ella compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ella: Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class | 2 hours | from €15 per person | max 8 | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| ELLA : Tea-Making Experience Tour with Tasting and Snacks | 2 hours | from €10 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Ella: Sri Lankan Cooking Class with Neranji at Homestay | 2 - 3 hours | from €16 per person | max 10 | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Ella Sri Lanka : Mom's Kitchen Cooking class | 2 hours | from €22 per person | max 6 | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Ella: Ella Tea plantation Tour with Tasting & Snacks | 2 hours | from €13 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Private cooking class - Personalized classic menu | 3 hours | from €35 per person | private | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
Ella: Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class
On GetYourGuide · run by Ranjani
- Length
- 2 hours
- Price
- from €15 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 1,033 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 8
- Included
- Instructor Fresh ingredients Cooking class Meal Bottled water Transportation to the meeting point
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
- Starts
- Check-in with staff at the Chamathka Cooking Class.
ELLA : Tea-Making Experience Tour with Tasting and Snacks
On GetYourGuide · run by Organic Tea Queen - Ella
- Length
- 2 hours
- Price
- from €10 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 678 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Welcome to Organic Tea Queen – Ella! Here’s the experience we’ve prepared for you: Tea Leaf Plucking – Start your journey by hand-picking fresh tea leaves from our serene tea estate using traditional tea buckets and t…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- When you come down the road and reach the meeting point, you will see the Organic Tea Queen signboard on the left side of the road. Next to the signboard, there is a path leading to the cottage. Please take the path on the left to reach us.
Ella: Sri Lankan Cooking Class with Neranji at Homestay
On GetYourGuide · run by Cook with Neranji
- Length
- 2 - 3 hours
- Price
- from €16 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 373 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- Traditional Sri Lankan cooking class Preparation of various traditional dishes Special spices and ingredients for participants to take home Recipes for all dishes prepared during the class Transportation to and from t…
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
- Starts
- Meeting point may vary depending on the option booked.
Ella Sri Lanka : Mom's Kitchen Cooking class
On GetYourGuide · run by Ella : Mom's kitchen cooking class ( flavours of tradition )
- Length
- 2 hours
- Price
- from €22 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 140 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 6
- Included
- Cooking class Locally sourced ingredients Meal
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
- Starts
- The Spice Lodge
Ella: Ella Tea plantation Tour with Tasting & Snacks
On GetYourGuide · run by Green Ella Tea Lounge
- Length
- 2 hours
- Price
- from €13 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 43 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Behind-the-scenes tour of handmade tea processing Blooming Tea ceremony Tasting of Ceylon’s prestigious tea varieties Complimentary cup of tea Selection of traditional Sri Lankan snacks Professional-style photos in pr…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- After coming down the road from Rajakotuwa junction you will see a board named Green Ella Tea Lounge on the right side of the road. Come 50m forward. Then you will see a black coloured building named Green Ella Tea Lounge on the right side of the road.
Private cooking class - Personalized classic menu
On GetYourGuide · run by Sweetvalley Cooking School
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €35 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 6 reviews (on 4 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- private
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
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Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Street food is mostly short eats from bakeries and kottu from griddle shops in the evening. There is no big street-food market in Ella; food is sold from small shops along the main road.
Sit-down meals
Restaurants on the main road serve Sri Lankan and Western dishes at tourist prices. Local eateries, often called 'hotels', serve rice and curry at lunch and kottu at night for much less. Many guesthouses cook dinner if you order in the afternoon.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes are popular in Ella and usually take place in a family home or guesthouse. You often prepare several curries, dhal and sambol, sometimes starting with a garden or market visit, then eat the meal. Classes are commonly in the late afternoon or evening.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | Rs 3,000–5,000 (about €9–15: local eateries and short eats) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | Rs 7,000–12,000 (about €20–35: tourist restaurants and a cooking class meal) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | Rs 20,000+ (about €60+: hotel restaurants with drinks) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Easy. Rice and curry is built around vegetable curries and dhal, and many places offer a fully vegetarian plate. Check for fish: Maldive fish (dried tuna flakes) is often added to sambols and vegetable curries; ask for no Maldive fish if you are strict.
Halal: Sri Lanka has a sizeable Muslim community and many Muslim-run 'hotels' serve halal food. In Ella, ask restaurants directly; chicken and vegetable curries are widely available, and beef is less common in Buddhist areas.
Gluten-free: Fairly good. Rice, hoppers and string hoppers are made from rice flour. Kottu, roti, and most short eats are wheat-based. Check whether curry powders or soy sauces with wheat are used in tourist dishes.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Tuk-tuk drivers recommending restaurants or tea factories where they get a commission. Choose your own restaurants and tea factory, and agree fares before getting in.
- Tourist menus on the main road with prices several times higher than local eateries. Compare menus; a local rice-and-curry place nearby can cost half as much.
- Service charges and taxes added to the bill without being on the menu. Many restaurants add a 10% service charge; ask if prices include it before ordering.
Top tours & activities in Ella
Rent a car in Ella
Compare rental cars from local and international companies, with free cancellation on most bookings.
Compare car rentals in EllaPlan the rest of your Ella trip
Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
What should I eat in Ella?
Try rice and curry at lunch, ideally in a family-run place, kottu roti in the evening, and hoppers or string hoppers with dhal and coconut sambol for breakfast. Snack on short eats from bakeries, and drink Ceylon tea from the estates around the town.
Is street food safe in Ella?
Generally yes, if you choose busy places where food is cooked fresh. Be cautious with food that has been sitting out in glass cabinets for a long time. Drink bottled or filtered water rather than tap water; many guesthouses and cafés offer refills.
Do I need to tip in Ella?
Many restaurants add a 10% service charge. Where they don't, leaving about 10% is appreciated. Small tips for guesthouse cooks and cooking-class hosts are common, as are tips for tuk-tuk drivers and guides. Cash tips are best.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Eating at local eateries and bakeries, about Rs 3,000–5,000 (€9–15) a day is enough. Tourist restaurants on the main road raise that to roughly Rs 7,000–12,000 (€20–35). Hotel restaurants with alcohol cost more.
Can I visit a tea factory?
Yes. Several tea factories and estates near Ella offer guided visits through the processing stages with a tasting, usually for a small fee. Processing doesn't happen every day, and hours vary, so check before going. You can buy tea directly at the factory shop.
Is Ella good for vegetarians?
Yes. Sri Lankan rice and curry includes many vegetable curries and dhal, and vegetarian versions of kottu and roti are easy to find. If you avoid fish completely, ask about Maldive fish (dried tuna), which is often added to sambols and curries.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.